What bowling strategy should we adopt at the World Cup?

Recommended Posts

Outrageous hitters, monster bats, 2 kookaburra balls that don't move an inch, even paced flat tracks , fast outfields, small boundaries . In the face of these challenges , what bowling strategy should we adopt as a unit?

Personally, I think our fast bowlers should swallow their pride and bowl defensively to stop the flow of runs instead of bowling aggressively at the stumps and looking for wickets. Also they need to bowl slower than usual and not give pace to the batsmen to go for their shots. What do ICFers think ?

Share this post

Link to post

Not going to work. Only way to stop big scores from piling up is to take wickets. Its not as simple as "bowl defensively" or "bowl aggressively".

One thing that India should try and do, is to use Bumrah as the elite threat that he is. I'd like to see him bowl only up to 3 overs in the 1st 10, at most 4 - unless we are forced to. Have Hardik Pandya bowl the 6th over, and have him bowl a good spell of 5 overs right there, as long as he doesn't get murdered for double digit overs. Then use Bumrah's 2 overs around the 30 over mark, to try and get a wicket or 2, or at least disrupt the batting team's momentum when they are just getting themselves ready for that big push.

Essentially, 5 of Bumrah's overs should be in the last 10. 2 up front. Try to save 2 or 3 overs for the middle stage.

Share this post

Link to post

I still think the first spell is the best time to take wickets. We won't be playing England every game. There is no point bowling defensively to someone like Amla or Finch or Imam. These players usually take their time to open up. Bowling defensive lines might actually help them get set.

For guys like Warner, Bairstow, Roy, Gayle and Guptill bowling defensive lines might be a fall back option. But then again Gayle, Warner and company can be quite lethal against any sort of bowling. If they get set, bowlers will have no place to hide.

Our batting must not panic if we see big totals posted. This will be key.

Share this post

Link to post

Bouncer is a big weapon against many batsmen even batsmen from non subcontinent team members. Most of the front door plonkers should be peppered with short balls. Regarding spinners we need to rotate them in 3 spells.

Share this post

Link to post

I will play this bowling unit in the initial matches...as tourney progresses and pitches wear rotate the quicks and play 2 specialist spinners. Again in SF/F on fresh wickets revert back to 3 quicks. Why the hell are we going in with just 3 frontline quicks in the squad

Bumrah

Bhuvi (as quasi AR batting at #8)

Shami

Chahal/Kuldeep (use data analytics to see who should play against whom)

Pandya

Shankar, Jadhav (ideally both should play)

This will be my strategy for 1st 5 group matches and KO...3 +1 combo with Pandya as AR and Jadhav/Shankar as batsmen who can roll their arms.

Give Bhuvi the new ball and make him bowl 7-8 overs on the trot, he should be told beforehand ki this is what is expected of you, get yourself prepared to bowl a long test match like spell upfront targeting good length spot on 4th/5th stump line. Support him with many catching positions, especially in slips/gully. Only 2 fielders allowed outside 30 yard circle in 1st 10, might as well have many catching positions. He isn't a good defensive option these days and with old ball form/confidence lacking, it's better use his skill set in his comfort zone.

Other end Bumrah max 3 overs, Shami 4. I am in sync with @sandeep about how to use Bumrah.

We have to look for wickets no matter what, give the opening bowlers full liberty to search for wickets even if it means going at 8 rpo. We must not panic because nature of pitches is like that. 120/3 or 140/4 after 15 is preferable over 80/1 because then spinner will be a bigger threat, batsmen too will be more wary and hence conservative.

Don't show spinner for 1st 15 overs, whatever the new Kookaburra has to offer use it to the fullest. Kuldeep, Chahal aren't good at exploiting the new hard ball like Ashwin for instance, they have to operate in middle overs.

Spinner(s) should operate between overs 15-42, don't keep their quota beyond that

Bumrah couple of overs in middle stages, depending on match situation (halt a rampage or when new batsmen are there)....he should bowl 4-5 overs in final 10.

Shami 3-4 overs in middle stage, him and Bhuvi with a couple each in final 10.

Jadhav, Pandya, Shankar...2 of them should never bowl in tandem otherwise batting team will gain momentum. One end specialist, other end one of these guys. By over 40 complete the 5th bowler's quota, maybe more than that to cover main bowler who is having a bad day

Quicks shouldn't abandon bouncer and yorker, doesn't matter if they aren't successful but use as many weapons as possible, keep batsmen guessing.

Captain has to be in the search for wickets all the time, avoid defensive field set ups. Overs 11-40 mandate max 4 fielders outside 30 yards, so won't be a bad idea to have a slip/flying slip. SL used this tactic to great success in 2007 WC, always had a catching position at slip in middle overs and third man almost like deep gully. Just don't have Kohli or Dhawan there...KLR is a good candidate. Spinner must always be supported by a slip catcher no matter how bad a day he is having....let the batsman know that both the edges of his bat are being targeted.

Edited May 16 by Gollum

Share this post

Link to post

Outrageous hitters, monster bats, 2 kookaburra balls that don't move an inch, even paced flat tracks , fast outfields, small boundaries . In the face of these challenges , what bowling strategy should we adopt as a unit?

Personally, I think our fast bowlers should swallow their pride and bowl defensively to stop the flow of runs instead of bowling aggressively at the stumps and looking for wickets. Also they need to bowl slower than usual and not give pace to the batsmen to go for their shots. What do ICFers think ?